From: Marc Theeuwen MAIL AMSINC COM> Date: 30 jul 1998 Subject: European Championships Shogi 1998 Dear shogi player, We are pleased to be able to remind you of the invitation to participate in the 14th European Championship Shogi, August 28 till August 30, 1998. This year's tournament will be held in the beautiful medieval city of Leiden with strong historic bonds to Japan in the form of a cultural anthropological museum specialised in Japan and a centre for Japanese studies at the University of Leiden. At the moment a lot of effort is being put into the organisation in order to make this European Championship Shogi a very enjoyable and memorable one. The accommodation in the old city centre and the playing venue in the new mind sports centre should guarantee ideal circumstances during and after the rounds. Yours Sincerely, Marc Theeuwen Format: like last year, the European Championship will be held over 7 rounds, with time limits of 1 hour per person per game and 30 seconds byoyomi, starting Friday, August 28 at 13.00h. Pairings will be done according to the Swiss system. If necessary, a play off will be held between the highest ranked players having the same number of wins. The prize giving ceremony will be held together with that of the side section at approximately 15.00h on Sunday, August 30. The side section will start Saturday morning, 9.00h. Participants of this tournament are strongly recommended to arrive Friday evening. All dan-players living in Europe or member of a FESA association and the four runners up of the 1997 side section are eligible to participate in the European Championships. All other shogi players may participate in the side section. Venue: the venue for the fourteenth edition of the European Championship Shogi will be the new Board Games Centre Leiden called "Denksport Centrum Leiden". Fourteen days before the opening of the tournament participants can expect to receive all necessary details. Information and registration: the latest information, such as an updated list of participants, will be sent regularly to Shogi-L and can be obtained from: * Marc Theeuwen (E-mail Marc_Theeuwen @ mail.amsinc.com or telephone, +31-(0) 70-3476320). * Registrations can be done per E-mail to Marc Theeuwen, or * By mail to "Stichting Europese Kampioenschappen Shogi, Smaragdlaan 99, 2332 JP Leiden, The Netherlands". * A WWW-page is under development and will be available, probably on August 3 at http://www.netpoint.be/shogi/ek98/ Due to expiration of options for the hotel accommodation, early registration is welcomed. Accommodation: Special rates have been negotiated for "Hotel Minerva", in the centre of Leiden at dfl. 50, - per person per night (less the US$ 25). This includes breakfast. All other meals will be provided at the tournament. Players are kindly requested to register in the hotel before the first round. A hostess will be there to welcome. Opening Mind Sports Centre: the European Championships Shogi will also inaugurate the new Board Games Centre of Leiden, which will, as we hope, formally be opened on Thursday, August 27 at 18.00h. Shogi players being able to attend this event are cordially invited to enjoy the opening, sushi appetisers, demonstrations of various Board Games including Shogi and other festivities, this will also mark the official opening of the European Championships Shogi. Social program: The city of Leiden has much to offer. A boat tour over the canals, or visits to the Japanese botanical garden or the Japan section of the cultural ethnological museum, for example, could easily be arranged. Within its walls the city has numerous museums. When registering, it would be very helpful if you would indicate whether you are interested in such activities and the time best suitable to you (before or after the tournament, or in between rounds on Saturday). Preliminary list of shogi players attending the European Championships: Name Grade Cheymol E 4D Grimbergen R 4D Ichiyanagi K 4D Oosten A v. 4D Boekschoten M 3D Casters M 3D Hosking T 3D Mieki T 3D Oosterwijk J 3D Secelle H 3D Segers H 3D Stouten P 3D Theeuwen M 3D Watanabe K 3D Mirnik B 2D Roquas F 1D Tiggelman J 1D Blommers J 2K Brewer M 2K Drechsler J 2K Baker A 3K Engelhardt A 3K Kau T 3K Wiemer R 8K Camacho E 10K Osmont F 12K Boettcher H-J 15K Hollingworth J ?K